Esmeralda
by whitecrossgirl
Summary: AU. Eighteen months after he banished her, Arthur and the knights find Gwen in what was Cenred's kingdom under an assumed name. However a lot has happened and Gwen doesn't just have herself to think about as her past and her present collide


**AN: Another post episode 9 story. This one is again totally AU and probably won't happen in the series. But that's what fanfiction is for. I own nothing except for the OC's.**

Eighteen months had passed since the fateful day when 'Lancelot' returned from the dead and turned life in Camelot upside-down. Gwen had been enchanted into believing she was in love with Lancelot; kissed him and was banished from Camelot by a heartbroken Arthur. Although time had passed; the wounds refused to heal. Three months later however; the truth was revealed when Lord Agravaine was discovered to have been in league with Morgana. Arthur's treacherous uncle, while under interrogation, revealed the truth about his crimes. He had been the one who placed the item around Uther's neck which caused 'Dragoon's' spell to backfire. He had been the one to imply Gaius as a traitor and he was there when Morgana enchanted the bracelet for 'Lancelot' to give Gwen as well as the poison 'Lancelot' needed to commit suicide. Agravaine was imprisoned and executed and Arthur's focus turned to one thing; finding Guinevere.

_The truth hung over them like a cloud. Remorse was crawling into their minds and taking it over. Why? Why had none of them stood up for Gwen or offered to listen to her side of the story? Why had they been hoodwinked by the shadow Lancelot's story? Nobody can return from the dead unless via very powerful dark magic. The whole series of events had Morgana's name plastered all over it. How could they have been so blind? So stupid? _

"_We need to find Gwen." Merlin said._

"_How? She could be anywhere." Gwaine replied._

"_Has she tried to contact you?" Leon asked Elyan who shook his head._

"_I wish she did, I want to know she's safe." Elyan replied. What sort of older brother was he when he stood aside and let his little sister be banished? The lack of contact worried him. He wanted to know, needed to know, that she was safe. That she was somewhere that she wouldn't be harmed. _

"_The thing is, if we do find her, what if she doesn't want to come back. I mean, we weren't exactly good friends to her were we?" Percival asked. _

"_Gwen would understand, wouldn't she? She forgave you when the Lamia had you under a spell." Arthur reasoned. "It's me she'll not forgive. I can't even forgive myself."_

"_Sitting here and talking about it won't help. We need to get up, get on our horses and start looking." Gwaine stated._

"_How are we going to find her? She could be anywhere. We still don't know where Morgana's hiding so what makes you say we'll find Gwen?" Merlin asked._

"_I know we'll find her. Inform the knights and the guards; we'll search everywhere until we find her. Have envoys sent to all the kingdoms and tell them that we're looking for Guinevere. She has to be somewhere." Arthur ordered._

And so they searched. They searched and searched but never found a trace of Gwen. It was like she simply vanished off the face of the earth. Fifteen months later Arthur was in the middle of a council meeting when Merlin entered with an envelope.

"An envoy from Cornwall sent this." He said. Arthur got up and opened the letter. Cornwall had been Cenred's land. Camelot had had no contact with the kingdom for years.

_King Arthur, _

_I extend an invitation to our kingdom for a celebration on Saturday honouring my husband, King Robert's fortieth birthday. For too long our kingdoms have been separated by the darkness caused by Cenred's tyrannical reign. You and your famed best knights would be welcomed to our kingdom with open arms for your role in defeating those who persecuted us for so long._

_Sincerely,_

_Queen Roseanna. _

Arthur read over the letter before turning back to the council. After Cenred's death the people of Cornwall welcomed back their king and queen; who had been exiled from Cornwall after Cenred took over. It was quickly decided that out of courtesy to Queen Roseanna; they would attend. The next morning the six of them set out for Cornwall. As they rode; they discussed what, if anything, they knew about Cornwall since the days of Cenred's reign. Elyan explained that he had a few friends whom he was still in contact with but they lived on the edge of the borders and therefore couldn't offer much information. The men travelled onwards, not knowing what to expect in Cornwall. Little did they know that they were going to face the last thing they expected to.

"Esmeralda how are those swords coming? They're going to be presented to the king tonight." Finbarr asked his young assistant. The young woman smiled as she raised the swords from the water they'd just been plunged into and allowed Finbarr to admire her handiwork before placing the pair of swords aside.

"Does anything else need done?" Esmeralda asked as she dragged her hand over her sweaty forehead.

"Sir Oliver's armour needs repaired. Trust him to destroy his armour the day of the king's feast." Finbarr replied. Esmeralda smiled and took the chest plate and began repairing it, working quickly and silently.

Esmeralda had been a godsend to Finbarr. Cornwall's royal blacksmith was getting on in years, had no children or apprentices and finding his work harder and harder to do. Nearly two years ago Esmeralda had arrived with nothing more than a heartbroken expression, a small wagon of belongings and an offer to work in his smithy in exchange for bed and board. Finbarr had initially been reluctant; a young woman who knew the ways of the blacksmith? However she explained that she had been the daughter of a blacksmith and knew her trade almost as well as he did. She was a bit out of practice but over time became a true master of the trade. His wife, Leanne had also welcomed her with open arms. Esmeralda had refused to talk about her past but had clearly been through a traumatic experience. However it could never be said that Finbarr and Leanne didn't help a person in need and accepted her into their home. It soon became clear that Esmeralda had a good reason to flee wherever it was she fled from and clearly didn't want to talk about. Esmeralda had been accepted easily into Cornwall; not only for her skills at the anvil but also with the needle and the sick and injured. When she wasn't in the smithy, she was offering to repair clothes or helping the physicians with the ill and injured or simply playing with a group of children. If she wasn't paying for her bed and board; there was another source to where her money went.

"Finbarr, Esmeralda, you need to come quickly. They're arriving!" Leanne said, sticking her head through the doorway. Finbarr followed his wife but Esmeralda continued with her work. She wanted to be finished quickly so she could have some time with her love before being taken to the feast to deliver the swords as a gift for the king from the smithy. As she worked in silence, her thoughts drifted to the day she arrived in Cornwall nearly two years ago.

When she was known by another name; Guinevere.

_After over a week of travelling, sleeping rough and rationing the food she'd brought with her, Gwen had arrived at Cornwall. She knew this was to be her destination. She wanted to be as far away from Camelot as possible. Where better to go to what was Cenred's lands? Gwen had slowly walked through the bustling town; for a moment it felt like she was back at Camelot but the town had a different layout; strangers were running all over the place. Gwen walked through the town, listening for the familiar sounds that she needed to hear. No matter where she was; the sound of a man working in a smithy was the same. Finally she'd found it and knocked on the door. A few minutes later, a man who had to be a few years younger than Gaius opened the door and looked at her._

"_Can I help you?" he asked._

"_Are you the town blacksmith?" Gwen asked._

"_Aye, I am, my name's Finbarr, how can I help you?" Finbarr asked, wiping his hands on a rag._

"_Do you need an extra pair of hands working in your smithy?" Gwen asked._

"_Yes," Finbarr replied; ever since Henry died of fever last winter, he'd been working alone._

"_I'll work for you in exchange for bed and board." Gwen offered._

"_No offence but I doubt you could be of much help," Finbarr said, looking the young woman up and down. _

"_My father was a blacksmith; he taught me everything he knew. Just give me a chance sir. I promise you won't regret it." Gwen pleaded. Finbarr agreed and let her into the smithy. Gwen somewhat reluctantly left the wagon and two hours and five repaired shields later, Finbarr welcomed his new blacksmith and brought his wife in to introduce her to his new employee._

"_What's your name?" Leanne asked._

_Gwen hesitated. She was hoping to start a new life here so why shouldn't that include a new name? A memory of the day she met Gwaine surfaced; when he offered her a daisy and pretended she was a princess. What was it he called her? Oh yes,_

"_My name's Esmeralda." Gwen replied. _

Gwen had managed to settle into life in Cornwall. In some aspects it was quite similar to Camelot but there were some clear differences. In Cornwall, sorcery was legal and the king had a Court Sorcerer as part of his council. Although time had passed; Gwen still missed her friends every hour of the day. Different things triggered different memories.

When she was repairing a purple dress for a lady; she thought of forcing Leon to wear a dress.

When she worked in the blacksmith; she was reminded of the hours she and Elyan spent in the smithy helping their father.

When Finbarr returned home drunk from the tavern; she thought of the times she had had to drag Gwaine out of the tavern in the middle of the night.

Watching one of the knights who was built like a barn help up the child princess who'd fallen reminded her of Percival, who was also known by Camelot's children as 'the gentle giant'.

When she watched the teenage prince order around his manservant; she was forced to remember Arthur and Merlin.

It seemed to Gwen that no matter what, one can never truly run from their past. Even today she couldn't help but remember when she and Morgana would watch the different nobility arriving in Camelot and offer their first impressions of them. Gwen shook her head and returned to work; she needed to get this armour finished before tonight. Besides it was unlikely she'd ever see any of them again and it wouldn't matter if she did; there was someone else who had taken importance over everyone else in her life now. She didn't need Arthur or Elyan or Merlin or Gwaine or Percival or Leon.

"You keep telling yourself that; someday you might believe it." Gwen muttered to herself as she worked.

Arthur led the way into Cornwall followed by the others. Different people watched as they rode through the town and up to the palace. There they were welcomed by King Robert and his wife Roseanna as well as being introduced to his teenage son Tobias and seven-year-old daughter Matilda. As Arthur was meeting with the other kings and lords; the knights helped Merlin with their stuff before going to check out the training grounds. Knowing that it would be a while before Arthur would need his help, Merlin decided to get a look at the town.

"Heading for the tavern?" Gwaine asked, falling into step with Merlin.

"No but you are," Merlin replied knowingly. Gwaine shrugged and grinned at a pair of maids who giggled.

"Actually I'm not," Gwaine denied before his smiled died. "I was just going to have a look around the town for,"

"Gwen," Merlin nodded. They had searched Camelot all over and sent envoys to all the kingdoms yet there was no word of Gwen. Every time they went to a new town or kingdom, they'd searched. Merlin wished he could see Gwen again. He'd say he was sorry; sorry that he had been so thick as to not figure out Morgana's plan sooner, sorry that he didn't go with her, sorry he never revealed the truth about himself to her. Maybe if he had; he could have helped. The pair of them trawled the town from top to bottom but found no sign of Gwen. As usual. Gwaine and Merlin returned to the knights and shook their heads. They had asked over and over again if anyone knew a woman named Guinevere Leodegrance but were met with the same negative answer.

"Could you deliver the swords during the presentation of gifts tonight Esmeralda?" Finbarr asked.

Gwen tore her gaze away from a blanket she was embroidering and nodded. Gwen got to her feet and changed out of her trousers and shirt and instead pulled on one of the dresses she had taken with her from Camelot. It'd been so long since she'd worn her favourite lavender dress; time, work and certain circumstances had meant she'd been unable to wear it. The dress still fitted her though and she pulled her hair back and went to fetch the swords.

"Can you," Gwen began.

"Don't worry about him," Leanne reassured. Gwen nodded and left the house to hurry up to the castle. She joined the other business owners who were all producing gifts for the king tonight. Those who couldn't simply offered a donation of money. It wasn't much but it was still a fair amount. She'd been here before; back in Camelot she would accompany her father when he delivered their gift to Uther. As they waited outside the hall to be called, Gwen only vaguely listened to debates on just who were among the guests.

"Esmeralda, it's your turn." John, the baker said. Gwen walked up to the doors and adjusted her hold on the swords as the doors opened for her. Gwen walked slowly up the hall, not making eye contact with anyone until she reached the top table.

"From the blacksmiths Finbarr Hennessey and Esmeralda Thomson and their families I present you with these two hand-crafted swords from our smithy." Gwen said calmly, offering up the swords for King Robert to see. The king admired the swords; thanked her and Gwen went to place them on the table. It was only as she turned to walk back down the hall did her eyes fall on the scarlet cloaks with the golden dragon emblazoned onto it. A jug clattered to the floor as they stared at one another before Gwen walked away.

Merlin and the knights shared dumbstruck looks as the doors opened and a figure in a lavender dress carrying a pair of swords walked into the hall.

It couldn't be.

But it was.

Gwen walked up the hall, she didn't make eye contact with anyone until she reached the top table and when she spoke, the knights all looked at one another. Esmeralda? And family? They all looked at Elyan who shrugged his shoulders; he and Gwen didn't have any family except for one another. It was only when Gwen turned and spotted them did time seem to stop. Until Merlin dropped the jug and it landed with a clang onto the floor. As Merlin fumbled to pick it up; Gwen walked away. The rest of the feast seemed to pass in a blur and while the other guests began dancing, the men from Camelot stood in a group in the corridor outside the hall.

"I thought you said you didn't find her?" Arthur asked.

"We didn't know she was using a false name." Merlin defended.

"I called her that name on my first day in Camelot." Gwaine recalled. His first proper day in Camelot; he'd seen her, stole a flower and attempted to flirt with her by claiming Gwen was a princess; Princess Esmeralda.

"She said she had a family but we don't have any relatives." Elyan commented.

"Maybe it just means she was taken in by one?" Percival offered.

"Look we can't go running around the town like a bunch of madmen at this time of the night. We'll wait until tomorrow. We'll go to the smithy and talk to Gwen. And by talk, I mean grovel." Leon suggested, ever the voice of reason.

The men agreed and returned into the hall. While it was a good night; their thoughts were focused only on Gwen and the fact that they had miraculously managed to find her again.

Gwen slowly walked home; her mind in a daze. She had honestly thought (well more like hoped) that Arthur had been left off the guest list. However in her heart she knew that he would be there and should have known that Elyan, Merlin, Leon, Percival and Gwaine would have come along too. They had been like brothers back then and she supposed not much had changed. Gwen couldn't stop herself from wondering if any of them had married or what all adventures they had been on before shaking herself. She had severed ties with all of them for a reason. She didn't need them anymore. Only one person needed her and she needed him.

"How was it?" Finbarr asked as she slipped through the door.

"It was fine," Gwen replied vaguely as she looked around the room. "Where,"

"He's sleeping in your room," Leanne smiled. Gwen smiled back before she walked into the small room and shut the door. She leant against the door and slid down until she was sitting on the floor staring at nothing. Gwen got to her feet and walked over to where a patch of moonlight fell onto a sleeping brown head. She had once again done what she'd done best; lied to herself. She may have walked away from Camelot and the people she loved and she may have started a new life under an assumed name but in reality; she had carried part of Camelot with her. A part of Camelot which became part of her the night Arthur had proposed. The night before everything went wrong.

The night her precious little Amhar was conceived.

When she discovered she was pregnant two months after arriving in Cornwall; Gwen had simply burst into tears. It just seemed so cruel that after what happened and her attempts to forget everything about her past and start again that she would be given a constant reminder of what she had lost. She wasn't supposed to be with child until after she had married Arthur and was the queen. That thought had forced bitter laughter from her mouth as tears ran down her face. She and Arthur were never ones for tradition so she really shouldn't have been surprised that she managed to get pregnant from the first time and before they were married. Whenever Finbarr and Leanne found her weeping and Gwen admitted she was with child; the elderly couple were too kind; they didn't judge her for being an unmarried mother and politely refused to force any details from her about her child's conception. Gwen went through a series of stages over the course of her pregnancy. Not morning sickness and cravings but denial, anger, sorrow and acceptance only came after the first time the baby had kicked. Gwen had been conflicted throughout her pregnancy; wondering if she should write to Arthur and telling him that she was carrying his child but decided that he would never believe her and assume the unborn baby wasn't his. When she gave birth nine months ago; it was Finbarr and Leanne who were by her side instead of her brother, Arthur and her best friends. Gwen had been so scared when she was handed Amhar but as soon as he was placed into her arms; Gwen's heart filled with love for her baby boy and knew that she would never let any harm come to him.

Gwen reached out and stroked Amhar's chubby cheek before changing into her nightdress and climbing into bed. As sleep took her, Gwen couldn't help but wonder vaguely how her former friends would react to the news that she had had a baby.

Early the next morning Arthur, Merlin and the knights had grouped in Arthur's chambers and were discussing on what to do about Gwen. They knew that they had to apologise and do anything they could to make amends but there were two problems. The first was the obvious one that given their actions prior to her banishment; it was unlikely that Gwen would want to even look at any of them, much less talk to them. The second was the word she had said the night before; _'__families__'__._ Not 'family' but 'families'. The plural implied that she must have some sort of family here in Cornwall. But she couldn't have gotten married. Could she? Finally after half an hour of discussion Elyan got to his feet.

"You can all sit here but I'm going to speak to my sister." Elyan said and walked out of the room. Merlin was the first to follow and within seconds all six of them were walking through the castle and into the town. There was supposed to be a tournament on today but Arthur had decided to opt his men out; claiming they'd had a few too many at the feast. King Robert accepted that with a smile. Those young ones always thought they could hold their drink. They had a lot to learn.

Arthur looked around the town; trying to find something that would direct them to the smithy.

Merlin however had had the common sense to ask a young boy for directions to the smithy.

"Um, just down there, turn left and it should be the big building at the end." The boy replied and hurried off with his friends. Arthur led the way and within minutes they were standing nervously outside the smithy.

"Excuse me but we're looking for Gw- I mean Esmeralda." Elyan said, knocking on the door and stepping inside.

"She should be here in a few minutes; can I help you with anything?" Finbarr asked, looking at the chain-mail wearing figures and bowing at the sight of Arthur.

"Well, we're old friends of Esmeralda and couldn't believe it when we seen her last night at the feast and wanted to come down and say hello." Arthur replied.

"Really? I'm sure she'd be happy to see you; she's never really spoken to us about her past. Didn't even know she was a Camelot girl." Finbarr mused, looking at their red cloaks with the golden dragon.

"What all has Esmeralda told you about herself?" Elyan asked. "Any family?"

"She said she used to have a brother but they'd had a falling out. Like I said, Esmeralda isn't one to talk about herself. She's not in any trouble is she?" Finbarr asked, looking concerned.

"No, no," Elyan said quickly as the door opened and Gwen walked in.

"Sorry Finbarr, Amhar was fussy this morning…" Gwen trailed off as the six men stared at her and dropped into a quick curtsey. "My lords."

"Esmeralda, may we speak to you privately?" Elyan asked.

"Sorry but I'm supposed to be working." Gwen replied coldly.

"No Esmeralda; we're not busy. Why not spend some time with your friends, let them meet Amhar?" Finbarr suggested. Gwen chewed her lip as Arthur frowned at the second mention of Amhar. Gwen looked at the six faces and knew despite what she'd told herself; she knew she couldn't just let them go without talking to them.

"If you're sure," Gwen said to Finbarr who nodded. Gwen turned back to her former friends. "Ok, there's a small meadow just outside the town. Go to the end of this street, turn right and keep going until you reach the gate. I'll be there in a few minutes with Amhar."

The knights followed her orders. "Who's Amhar?" Elyan asked.

"You'll find out." Gwen replied with a strange look on her face as she turned and walked towards a small cottage. The men looked at one another and walked down to the meadow. A few minutes later Gwen arrived with a bundle in her arms.

"This is Amhar," Gwen said as she moved back the blanket around the infant. He was an adorable baby. Amhar had light brown skin and dark curly hair like Gwen's but when he opened his eyes; they could all see that his eyes were a bright dazzling blue. The eyes offered them the answer to the question they'd all been wondering.

"The night I," Arthur began.

"Yes," Gwen answered.

"Can I, can I hold him?" Arthur asked. Gwen hesitated and handed Amhar gently over. Arthur stared at the baby who was staring back just as intently. This was his son. His and Guinevere's son; conceived in the night when they had agreed to be married. The men all stared at the child before Arthur handed him to Elyan who nervously held his nephew. The last time he'd held a baby was when Gwen was born.

"He looks like you." Leon commented.

"I know, but that's not why you wanted to see me. So go ahead, give me your insults. I can handle it." Gwen stated.

"We know the truth about what happened." Merlin said. Gwen looked at them.

"The real truth or the truth you saw." Gwen tested.

"The full truth," Gwaine answered. "Agravaine was the traitor."

"You finally figured it out?" Gwen asked. Truth be told she had only really allowed herself to piece it altogether when Gaius had been captured. The fact remained; that they took longer to see it. Even Merlin who could be strangely shrewd about such things.

"Morgana had used necromancy to create a creature called a Shade. It's the soul of a dead person called from the afterlife. It gives them a body but they're under the total control of the person who summoned them. In this case, Morgana had Lancelot as a puppet." Merlin explained.

"The bracelet we found in your cell had had some mind control spell over it. According to Gaius it must have got into your memories. You couldn't have stopped yourself if you'd tried. Your name's been cleared; it was put on record that you were enchanted and your banishment has been repealed." Percival added.

"We've spent over a year looking for you. Send messages to every kingdom, scoured every town and village we came across but never found anything until yesterday." Leon finished.

"Well good for you. Now that you have seen that I'm fine then can you leave me to live the rest of my life in peace?" Gwen asked as she took Amhar back.

"Under an assumed name?" Arthur asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes Arthur, under a new name. In a new town with a new job and a new most important person in my life. It's not much but it's mine. My only concern in Amhar and that he's able to live a good life." Gwen countered.

"How can he live a good life here when even his own mother lies to him?" Elyan argued.

"You think I like lying to everybody? You think I liked going through a pregnancy and childbirth without having any of you with me? You think that I like having to hide myself because once everyone knows who I really am; a stupid young woman who kissed another man the night before she was to marry the king of Camelot? You think that I like the possibility of lying to my son when he asks me the inevitable question of who his father is? What am I supposed to do? Since you lot seem to have all the answers; tell me. What do I do?" Gwen snapped, losing her temper. Her angry words scared Amhar and she turned away, gently rocking her son, trying to calm him down and hiding her tears.

"You come home." Merlin answered, reaching for Gwen's arm but she moved away.

"And pretend nothing happened? That I just went on a little trip but then I'm back and we're all best of friends again? I can't do that. These past eighteen months I did something important. I grew up and faced reality. It's time all of you did the same. Just leave me alone." Gwen said as she walked away.

"You can't hide forever!" Arthur called after her.

"Watch me!" Gwen retorted over her shoulder.

"Well that went well," Gwaine muttered sarcastically under his breath.

"What do we do now?" Elyan asked.

"I don't know." Arthur confessed.

Gwen slowly walked across the meadow and to her house. Without speaking to Leanne, she entered her bedroom and sat down, placing Amhar on the bed and gently playing with his hands. He was getting to be so big and interested in the world around him. Amhar babbled and tried to grab some of her hair. Gwen wished Amhar could stay like this forever; young and innocent and unaware of how harsh the world could be. The life she had thought she'd build on stone for herself over the past eighteen months was revealing itself to have been actually built on quicksand in under twenty four hours. And she was sinking.

"Is everything alright Esmeralda?" Leanne asked from the doorway. Gwen looked at Amhar and re-ran all of what the men had told her. They knew the truth; her name had been cleared; they wanted her back in Camelot. Gwen couldn't go back; could she? Her father had always told her that only cowards lied and having true courage meant being honest to everyone and especially to yourself.

"I need to talk to you and Finbarr, it's important." Gwen replied. Leanne smiled at the young woman she'd come to care for as a daughter and fetched her husband. As they walked back to the house, Arthur, Merlin and the knights followed and crouched under Gwen's window.

"I'm really sorry but I haven't been honest with you. My name isn't Esmeralda Thomson. My real name is Guinevere Leodegrance and I come from Camelot. My father was a blacksmith and I used to be the maid for both the former Lady Morgana and King Uther. My brother was one of the knights you'd met in the smithy; Sir Elyan. And I was once engaged to marry King Arthur." Gwen confessed, her eyes on Amhar, waiting for the inevitable explosion.

"You left Camelot, why?" Finbarr asked.

"Morgana had found out about mine and Arthur's engagement. Her spy in Camelot had told her about it. She used magic to raise a man I'd once loved from the dead as well as enchanting a bracelet to control my mind. The bracelet forced me to remember my old feelings for Lancelot and forced me to act upon them. Arthur walked in on me kissing Lancelot and banished me from Camelot. The day I was supposed to get married; I left Camelot with a mud stained name."

"And Amhar?" Leanne asked.

"Arthur's son." Gwen confirmed. "I knew I couldn't write to him or any of the others. They had all believed what they were told. I couldn't offer any explanation for my actions other than I didn't know I was under a spell. When none of them stood up for me; I knew I had to cut all ties. That was what they wanted to speak to me about. They had found the spy and he'd revealed the truth about what Morgana had done. They told me that they'd spent a year looking for me. They all want me to come back to Camelot but I don't think I can."

Finbarr and Leanne digested what Gwen had told them before reaching out for Gwen and hugging her.

"You poor girl," Leanne soothed.

"Please don't be so nice. I don't deserve it." Gwen said.

"Yes you do. Over the past year and a half, you were like the daughter we never had. If you were even half the woman in Camelot that you are here then they would be mad if they didn't try and find you. You're a good woman Guinevere. You just made a mistake." Finbarr reassured.

"A mistake which cost me everything. I was fooled by a handsome face and a piece of jewellery. Arthur told me that maybe he could forgive me but he could never trust me." Gwen said.

"When did he say that?" Leanne asked.

"After it happened." Gwen said.

"Listen to me child. You've got a smart head and a good heart. You'll make the right choice, not just for yourself but for the little man too. Every child needs a father." Finbarr said.

"And don't forget; that Arthur may be a king but he's still a man. They're prone to stupidity. That's why they need a wife; to keep them in line." Leanne joked. Gwen smiled as Finbarr raised his eyebrows at his wife.

"I still don't know if I can go back. We can't re-write history; enchanted or not; I still messed up enormously." Gwen said, sobering up.

"You made a mistake but everyone does. You listen to me; if you go back to Camelot I bet you'll find that more people will be happy to see you again than those who'll say hurtful things. You were happy in Camelot weren't you?" Leanne asked.

"Well, yes but I'm happy here too." Gwen reasoned.

"I'm not saying you weren't but you need to have faith that things will work out. If you never try then you'll never know. And if it doesn't work out; our door will always be open for you and Amhar." Finbarr said.

Gwen smiled and hugged both of them. In the middle of the darkest time of her life since her father's death; she had managed to find these two wonderful people who cared for her. Despite the fact she'd lied to them for over a year they were still prepared to offer her a home if she couldn't stay in Camelot. A series of knocks sounded at the door. Leanne got up and opened it, gave a quick curtsey and called for Gwen. Gwen picked up Amhar and went to the door. At the sight of Gwen; all six of them; especially Arthur; dropped to their knees and began begging forgiveness. Gwen's eyebrows shot into her hair as each one of them began vowing to do anything in order to receive Gwen's forgiveness. After a few minutes and an interested crowd gathering to watch the grovelling Gwen held up her hand and they all fell silent.

"Your daddy and uncles are silly aren't they Amhar?" Gwen smiled at her son who was straining around in her arms. "Get up off the floor you pack of idiots and come in here."

The knights and Merlin scrambled to their feet and shut the door behind themselves. "Does this mean we're forgiven?" Arthur asked.

"No, but it's a start." Gwen smiled.

For the rest of the day, they shared stories and information over what had happened over the past eighteen months. They only stopped talking when Arthur realised they'd been away from the castle for the whole day and had missed the after tournament feast. While Arthur and Leon hurried up to the castle to explain that a personal matter had kept them busy it just managed to keep them out of trouble from King Robert and Queen Roseanna. After bidding a farewell and a promise to keep in touch with Finbarr and Leanne; Gwen packed up her belongings and piled them into the wagon she'd pulled away from Camelot. Merlin attached the wagon to his horse and Gwen settled herself into it to keep a hold of Amhar. Their impromptu departure caused much discussion as the people of Cornwall town wondered why the somewhat mysterious blacksmith girl Esmeralda was leaving with the knights of Camelot. The journey home was spent riding cross country by day and their nights were spent talking and rebuilding their once shattered relationships. By the time they reached Camelot again; Gwen had managed to fully forgive the men for their actions over what had happened so many months ago. They'd all made mistakes and they had learned from them.

Gaius was walking back across the courtyard as everyone stopped what they were doing and stared as the six horses rode back into Camelot. The greatest cause of the staring was the cloaked woman who was sitting on a wagon attached to Merlin's horse. As the knights dismounted their horses, Merlin slid off his and went to collect the bundle from the woman's arms and Arthur helped the woman out of the wagon. The hooded cloak meant that her face couldn't be seen but after a quick glance around the woman removed her hood.

"It's Gwen!"

"I thought she was dead!"

"Who's that Merlin's holding? You don't think…"

"It's possible."

Arthur walked alongside Gwen as she collected Amhar from Merlin and they walked up to the castle doors, away from the staring eyes and the mutterings and sharp looks. Despite proving Gwen's innocence; mud still sticks. Gaius walked over to Gwen and squeezed her arm.

"Welcome home Gwen." The elderly physician said. Gwen smiled.

"Thank you Gaius." Gwen smiled. Gaius looked at the baby and to Gwen.

"Gaius; meet Amhar. My son." Arthur smiled. Gaius knew that smile; that was the smile Uther had worn when Arthur had been born, moments before Ygraine died. The unconditional love of a father. As Arthur led Gwen into the castle, Gaius looked at Merlin who couldn't stop beaming.

"How did you find her?" Gaius asked.

"It's a long story," Merlin replied.

A year later, a letter arrived in Cornwall. It was delivered with a wax seal and the official crest of Camelot on the envelope. Finbarr opened the letter and offered it to his wife.

_King Arthur of Camelot and Lady Guinevere Leodegrance wish to invite you to their wedding on Sunday the sixteenth of April. _

_Guests will be accommodated inside the castle and both the bride and groom request that no jewellery is to be offered as a wedding gift._


End file.
